Preparation of micro-porous crystals and conjugates thereof

Abstract

A conjugate comprising a dye-labeled microporous crystal, a stop-cock moiety, and covalently bound thereto an affinity binding agent is disclosed. The dye-labeled microporous crystal is a zeolite crystal, such as a zeolite L crystal, having a large number of channels in its interior into which the dye is loaded. The stop-cock moiety can be functionalized with an amino group to which a carboxyester group can be attached. The affinity binding agent allows for the binding to a biological moiety. The conjugate of the moiety can be used in in-vivo and/or in-vitro imaging applications.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A labeled zeolite loaded with an imageable dye, wherein the imageable dye is secured within a channel of the zeolite by a stopcock moiety and the imageable dye is selected from the group consisting of a metal compound that can be visualized using x-rays; a compound that can be visualized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and an isotope that can be imaged by x-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasound or photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). 
     
     
       2. The labeled zeolite according to  claim 1 , wherein said imageable dye is a dye that can be visualized by MRI, CT or SPECT. 
     
     
       3. The labeled zeolite according to  claim 1 , wherein the labeled zeolite is zeolite L crystal. 
     
     
       4. A carboxyester functionalized zeolite crystal. 
     
     
       5. The carboxyester functionalized zeolite crystal according to  claim 4 , wherein said zeolite crystal is labeled with a dye. 
     
     
       6. The carboxyester functionalized zeolite crystal according to  claim 5 , wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescent compound; a luminescent compound; a radioactive compound that can be visualized by photographic plates, a metal compound that can be visualized using x-rays; a compound that can be visualized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and an isotope that can be imaged by x-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasound or photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).